Flare



Nov. 4', 1930. s, MLEY 1,780,214

FLARE Fned Aug. 16. 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 gwventoa;

Eamuel Wiley Nov. 4, 1930. s. WILEY 1,780,214

FLARE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1929 Samuel Wley t, M @M Patented Nov. 4, 1930 UNITE STATES SAMUEL WILEY, F METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY FLARE Application filed August 16, 1929. Serial No. 386,408.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the. Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a flare of the type which is launched from aircraft for the purpose of signaling or illumination.

The improvements in the flare forming the subject of this invention are directed to the 1o formation of a parachute container which is detachably associated with a light case through a novel release Inechanism which will permit the insertion and withdrawal of the parachute without fouling and which will serve as a launching tube.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de.v

scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in he"`accompanying drawings, wherein: I

Fig. lis a View, iiielevation of the improved flare, showing the parachute container in sectiOn;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the separation of Y,the light case from the container;

' Fig. 4 is a View in side elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the fastener.

. Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference:

The flare comprises a cylindrical light case 5 containing an illuminating composition 6 and arranged to be suspended during flight by means of a parachute 7 which is secured by means of a cable or cord 8 to a block 9 iXed in the upper end of the light case. The parachute when folded is housed in a container 10 which is inserted within and spaced from a tubular extension 11 on the upper end of the light case attached thereto in any suitable manner, specifically by screws 12 entering the blocks 9. The end cover 13 of the parachute container' projects beyond the wall thereof and is formed with outwardly flared sides 14C designed to tit over the rolled edge 15 of the tubular extension 11 and establish a tight fitting closure for the light case.

lhe parachute container 10 may be made of flexible material such as paper, cloth or J other flexible fabric or of rigid material, such as metal, fiber or the like. The substitution of flexible material for rigid material in containers of this character is desirable as the flares are used with horizontal racks as well as with vertical racks.

The light case and parachute container are separably fastened together adjacent the upper end of the flare for convenience in releasing the flare from launching apparatus mounted in aircraft. The fastening device consists of a depending channelled hasp member 16 secured to the cover 13 of the parachute container and spaced sufiiciently from the wall of the container to clear the tubular eX- '.5 tension 11 of the light case when the flare is assembled. The sides 17 of the hasp (see Figs.

3 and 5) are provided with aligned openings or recesses 18 and for convenience in establishing the recesses, the corresponding portion 3. of the face plate 19 of the channelled hasp may be cut away.

A staple or keeper 2O provided on the extension 11 is formed to enter the channel in the hasp and it is positioned for alignment with g. the recesses 18 when the edge 15 of the extension is in place against the cover 13. With the parts thus arranged, a key 21 inserted through the recesses 18 and within the keeper will prevent separation of the light case from te the parachute container.

In order that the key may be retained firmly in place until deliberately withdrawn a thin metal plate 22 (see Figs. 3 and 5) is placed between it and the keeper being secured to the i outside of the key by having its central portion pressed into an aperture 23 in the key. The ends 2li of the plate 22 extend beyond the side edges of the keeper and are bent away from the key, the angle thus made determin- L20 

